BEEVILLE – Eight inmates at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s William G. McConnell Unit were indicted last month for having cellular phones (prohibited item in a correctional facility), and two others were indicted for having marijuana at the unit.

Each of the charges are third degree felonies and could add another 10 years to the sentences the defendants already are serving.

Those named in indictments for having cellular phones and related items included:

•George Paul Valdez, who allegedly had a cell phone in March, 2012.

The charge against him was enhanced because he had previous felony convictions for three counts of aggravated kidnapping in Hidalgo County on March 23, 2007.

His bond was set at $5,000 on the new charge by District Judge Janna Whatley.

•Steve Sabastian Perez. He had previous felony convictions on a charge of aggravated assault on Feb. 22, 2003, and tampering with physical evidence on Feb. 28, 2011, both in Dallas County, and on a charge of manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, four-200 grams, in Midland County in October 2012.

Bond was $5,000.

•Jose Olalde, who had prosecutors claim had a phone in January 2012.

He had a previous felony conviction on a charge of murder in June 1999 in Travis County.

Bond was $5,000.

•Jerard Edward Ytuarte, II who allegedly had a phone in December 2011.

He had previous felony convictions on charges of theft, $750-$20,000 in Lampasas County and on a charge of burglary of a habitation in Comal County.

Bond was $5,000.

•Jose Ramon Garza who reportedly had a cell phone in October 2011.

He had earlier felony convictions on two counts of robbery by threats in Harris County in April 2006.

Bond was $5,000.

•Joe Angelo Rodriguez was named in a six-count indictment with two counts of having a cell phone in a correctional facility and four counts of having SIM (subscriber identity module) cards.

Rodriguez had a previous felony conviction in February 2008 on a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 in Dallas County.

Bond was $5,000.

•Aaron Anthony Botts for having a cell phone in January 2012.

Botts had previous felony convictions on charges of aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and theft, $750-$20,000, in Bexar County and on a charge of aggravated robbery in Nueces County.

Most of those convictions were during 1992.

Bond was $5,000.

•Poudoo V. Randolph for having a cell phone in August 2011.

He had previous felony convictions on two counts of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit theft in 1988, a conviction on a charge of possession of cocaine in 2003, a conviction for delivery of cocaine in 2006 and a conviction on a forgery charge in 2009.

All of those convictions were in Harris County.

Bond was $5,000.

The two inmates indicted for possession of marijuana were Richard Thurman Harris Jr. and Robert Lee Lang.

Both of the indictments were on charges of possession of a prohibited substance in a correctional facility. They are third degree felonies.

Harris was accused of having the drug at the McConnell Unit in March 2011, and Lang allegedly had the drug in the same unit in August 2012.

Harris had a previous felony conviction on a charge of attempted capital murder in August 1993 in Bexar County, and Lang had been convicted in 2005 for engaging in organized criminal activity in Medina County.

TDCJ Investigator Israel Brionez was listed as the investigating officer in each of the cases.

Bonds are set in cases against Texas prison inmates as a formality because most felony defendants are entitled to have bail set when they are charged.

However, the defendants in each of those cases is serving time for previous felony convictions, and they will not be released from custody.

Gary Kent is a reporter at the Bee-Picayune and can be reached at 358-2550, ext. 120, or at reporter@mySouTex.com.